Sanitary suction eyecup



April 8, 1941. FIB. BURHANS SANITARY SUCTION EYEC UP Filed June 8, 1938 PaLdB.Buh/zms INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 8, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SANITARY SUCTION EYECUP Paul B. Burhans, Fort Myers, Fla.

Application June 8, 1938, Serial No. 212,576

2 Claims.

This invention relates to an eyecup constructed in such a way that medicine or eye-wash contained in the cup may be forced against the eyeball and under the lid of the eye, insuring a perfect cleaning cycle of the fluid used in washing the eye.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of the character wherein the action of the fluid used in washing or treating the eye, will be gently moved over the surface of the eyeball and under the lid, insuring against injury to the sensitive nerves and muscles of the eye.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described, may be made within the scope of What is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through an eyecup constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the eyecup, taken on line 2-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a. plan view of the eyecup,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the bowl of the eye cup is indicated generally by the reference character 5, and as shown, the cup embodies a stem 6 and a hollow base I.

The stem 6 is provided with a longitudinal bore or passageway 8, establishing communication between the bowl 5 of the cup and hollow open ended base I, so that the liquid contained in the cup may pass from the hollow base 1 to the bowl, and vice versa.

Stretched over the hollow base I, is a diaphragm 9 constructed preferably of rubber, and of a size to be readily manipulated by the thumb of the person using the cup.

It might be further stated that the passageway 8 formed throughout the length of the stem 6, is substantially small, to the end that the suction caused by the manipulation of the diaphragm 9 will be gentle to insure against injury caused by a suction too severe for the sensitive structure of the eye.

In the use of the eyecup, the bowl portion 5 thereof is filled with the medicine or eye-wash for treating the eye. The filled cup is now placed against the eye whereupon the diaphragm is manipulated causing the liquid contained in the bowl to be gently forced over the eyeball and under the eye lid, washing and treating the eye.

I claim:

1. In an eyecup, a body portion comprising a bowl adapted to be fitted against an eye, an openended hollow rigid base of a capacity appreciably less than the capacity of the bowl, a hollow stem connecting the bowl and base and establishing communication therebetween, said hollow base adapted to contain a quantity of liquid, a diaphragm stretched over the open end of the hollow base closing the hollow base, said diaphragm adapted to be manipulated by pressure directed thereto by the thumb of the user, whereby only the liquid held within the hollow base will be displaced and moved over the eye under treatment, thereby avoiding excessive pressure and vacuum in the operation of the device.

2. In an eyecup, a body portion comprising a bowl and an open-ended hollow rigid base of a capacity substantially less than the bowl and adapted to contain liquid, a hollow stem connecting the bowl and hollow base and establishing communication therebetween, a diaphragm constructed of rubber material, stretched over the open end of the hollow base closing the hollow base, said diaphragm adapted to be manipulated by pressure directed thereto by the thumb of the user, whereby liquid held within the cup will be moved over the eye under treatment, the maximum pressure and vacuum produced in the device being governed by the quantity of liquid held in the hollow base.

PAUL B, BURHANS. 

